The Winona County Planning Commission recommended that the County Board approve a conditional use permit allowing a private schoolhouse on Jake and Mary Yoder’s property in St. Charles Township, forwarding the proposal to the County Board with staff‑recommended conditions. Commissioners voted 7 in favor and 1 abstention.

Staff and petitioners said the proposal seeks to site a one‑room schoolhouse on roughly a 28.9‑acre parcel near the intersection of County Road 35 and Sinclair Road to serve about 5–12 local families; petitioners said 18 pupils currently attend the group’s existing arrangements and that a single‑teacher one‑room schoolhouse typically accommodates 15–22 pupils. Planner Olivia presented the staff analysis and advised the commission the petitioners had received a variance from the Board of Adjustment for the required feedlot setback: the ordinance requires 500 feet; the board granted a reduced setback (about 260 feet) for the schoolhouse location.

Facilities and traffic: petitioners described the proposed building arrangement as a main schoolhouse (red outline in the packet) and a neighboring outbuilding to be used for horses and to contain bathrooms. The petitioner described the bathroom arrangement as a buried holding tank (two‑compartment tank beneath the structure), not a well or standard septic field. The proposed driveway would connect to Sinclair Road on the south side of the buildings; petitioners said the driveway would require a culvert and they expect to install appropriate aprons and erosion protection. Petitioners described plans to fence the schoolyard and position the playground to the north of the buildings, away from the cemetery to the south.

Public comment and safety concerns: several neighbors attended and raised safety concerns about County Road 35. Rachel Marquis said she is "not against the schoolhouse" but is "against the location" because "the highway is falling apart" and because motorists travel quickly; she told the commission the hill and blind‑spot at the Sinclair intersection make it difficult to pull onto the highway. Neighbor Melvin Ginbridge said the school is intended to reduce buggy traffic on the highway by providing a closer site: "If the school's not there, we got 4 buggies on 35. If the school's there, we got 1." Another neighbor, Carolyn Stanley Hanson, asked that the petitioners minimize intrusion on the adjacent cemetery and said she was reassured the bathroom would be a holding tank.

County highway and signage: staff presented a written response from the county highway engineer, who recommended against making additional signage a strict condition of the conditional use permit but encouraged the county to work with the community on safety measures (sign placement, shoulder/culvert specifications) and to review any driveway permit requirements. Commissioners discussed placing responsibility on the applicant to secure required driveway and culvert permits and asked staff to coordinate with the highway department on signage or roadway adjustments where appropriate.

Findings and vote: staff recommended approval with four conditions included in the packet (site plan, building setbacks, driveway/culvert permits, and compliance with any Board of Adjustment conditions). After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend approval with staff findings and conditions; the motion passed with 7 votes in favor and one abstention (a commissioner who disclosed proximity to I‑90 and an interest conflict abstained). The commission recorded the forward to the County Board; the item is scheduled for the commissioners’ Sept. 9 meeting.